Spring-supported solid float indicator



y l2, 1942. D. R. YARNALL 2,282,538

sPRING-sUPIoRTBD SOLID FLOAT INDICATOR Filed Aug'. 3, 1959 Tlf .91 WM Vweight of thespring,

' Patente-d May l2, 1942 David Robert VYarnall, PhiladelphimPa., a'ssi'gnor to Yarnall-Waring' Company, Philadelphia, 'Pa

a corporation of-Pe`nnsylvania Appncation Auguste, 193g, serialANq. 288,231

clr'zsaa'os) 16 Claims.

The invention relates to watergauges for boilersof .the Vso-called eyeline waterlevel type inv .which the indication of Y.the waterlevel is given Vat a point very much'below the levelof the water and in position for .convenient .reading by the operator.

The application isa continuationinlpart of my application for Spring supported'solid oatindicator, filed June 3, 1937, Serial No. 146,177.

One purpose of the -:invention is to use a suspension spring above a Asolid iloat vto support a target at a distance below the float, dfree from `contact of the suspension with the sides so that the spring, float and target shall be free .from any and all starting friction. A further purpose is to use va solid floatpartially supported by a suspension spring, preload ing the spring in order that its loading may prop- .erly balance any predetermined weight, inthe present case preferably the weight ofthe float:

and a target and connection below the Yoat, vwith or Without preloading progressively for the vPreloading greatly reduces the extension` of the spring in use and greatly reduces the column @255 Vlength required, Without it therewould be difculty in installing :the device within the normal headroom available. l

iA further purpose is to provide asuspension spring for a solid float, the spring having low @3 0 stress .and light weight anda large deflection for a given load.

A further purpose isto free a float suspension Vsystem fromsliding friction.

A further purpose is to provide a spring for the solid float of an eye line water suspension 3 5 level indicator in which thespring/is .bodily adjustable up and down, to set it initially` and to take up change in the spring.

A further purpose is to provide diiferential pre-` A0 loading in a suspension spring totake care in each of the turns progressively for the weight of those turns which lie below it,-i n order that the spring will extenduniformly fromY end to end.

for a water level having a considerable range of variation to a sight indicator having .a short indicating range.

because they Vwell:illustrate the pririciplein-A volved., y -V 1; f.

'Figurel 4is a side elevation largely in central `vertical section of one form of my invention.

FigureZ is a fragmentarycorresponding view 4showing a slightly variant form of the invention. Figure is a fragmentary section of one form .of suspension spring which `may `be used.

Figure .3a is a fragmentary view showing vaA portion of thefsprings of Figure 3 fully retracted.

Figure 4 a fragmentary side elevation of fa .spring Vin place, thetspring being preloaded by tapering andthe taper and the extent of open- `ing beingexaggerated. fl

getin an eye level casing, Y 4

In the ldrawing similar numerals indicate like VFigure f5 'is a central vertical section of a tarparts. r Y

My invention-suspends a float, a targetand a flexible lcord yor chain therebetween insuch a .manner thatfthe entiresuspenSiOn is free from yall initial ystarting friction, i.'e., friction'present before motion t begins and is, extremely small thereafter, attaining theresult by spring support for all'. of tuhesefparts.` Starting friction is quite objectionable ingany indicator of this character not only because-of the friction itself but because the! friction is greatest at -thebeginning offany movement and becomes relatively prohibitive -when-v the movement is slight; Asdistinguished from this, fluidfriction which must inevitably be -met in .anyqsuch gauge having a target or'ffloatl 4movable in a'liquid, Ais small at'any time, isfzero lup to thetime motion Vactually takes place,` and is especially low in the Ybeginning of motion ,or

with a relatively short movement.

My invention avoids all mechanical friction as rdistinguished from fluid frictionexceptthe Ainternal friction withintheturn-s o-f a spiral spring.

This as inthe case of fluidfr'iction is'zero until motion .actually takes place.

At the same timethat my spiral spring is used therefore to reduce the amount of friction it cen- V ters the target yand its entire suspension with re- A further purposeis to adapt a iloat indicator 245 I have preferred to illustrate'my invention by a main form and one modification thereof only, selecting Vthese not only because of their value as practical illustrations of constructions -which have been found to `be .effective but particularly :5:5

to the range of rise and fall of the waterlevel.

-The present mechanismprovides any predetermined ratio of `movement; of the target with re' spect to the water Ylevel variation within wide limits.

Thelinventionlisapplicable tothe normal water column and normal eye'line water level indicator vwith trilling changesy requiring no external Water level indicator 22 having a scale 23.

change except as to the cap. It is further applicable to special forms of indicators in which the freely suspended target cooperates with the character of indication.

A normal water column 5 is closed at the top by cap 6 bolted to a water column flange l, the J'oint being protected by packing 8. Y

Steam and water connections are shown at 9 and I0 respectively and two flanged connections are shown at II and I2 for attachment of a supe plemental or auxiliary water level gauge of any suitable type of which a fragment only is shown at I3.

This construction along with a drain pipe -III form sediment chamber havingfan outlet `I6 valved at I'I. It is standard and accepted lpractice.

An inclined gauge is shownrin Figure 1 -of i Yarnall Patent No. 1,933,132, which would beenl tirely suitable for use with the water column shown if an inclined gauge be desired; A 'fragv nection 20, suitable piping, and anfindicator for a target have been -in use -for many years, one form being shown in the Yarnall patent above. A very usual drain for the yeyeline indicator compartment is shown at 24'and, of course, suitably valved. I

Though the flexible connection, piping and indicator are generally Well known, the parts have not previously been freed from mechanical friction as the suspension risesand lowers. In the present showing care is exercised to avoid engagement of the parts of the suspension with the side walls, and, as comparedfwith the form; of my patent, theV slidingy friction of pulleys and' other cooperating parts is avoided. f g

For the purpose of enabling me to refer freely to the terminal weight at the lower end of the flexible connection below the oat in the same language, whether it be 'truly a target as in Figure 1 where itcan be seen and lits level may be interpreted directly or be the operating member of an indicator at a distance as,`for example, in Figure 2, this weight will be referred to herein as target in both cases. v o o It has been common also to vcarry the protective piping I9 up into the lower part of the water column as at 25, providing a sediment chamber in the lower part of the water column, and to use the upper end 26 of this piping as astop to limit the lower level of float movement within the water column.

In the illustration the -piping between the Water column and the eye line indicator has been broken up into sections united `by large tongue and groove ilanges 21. In many instances separation into sections will be necessary on account of the length and even ifthis be not so, convenience of vassemblage and of access is thus served.

l Though the .superficial appearance and much of the mechanism herein corresponds generally with that of the Yarnall patent above, .the operating mechanism by which the fluctuation of water is transferred into movement of an indicating target is widely different from that of the Yarnall patent.

In the present invention a single solid float only is used shown at 28 and it is suspended by a spring 29 from an adjustment 30 within the cap 34. This adjustment may be made conveniently as shown by a threaded bolt 3| sliding through a sleeve 32. The bolt is adjusted in height by a nut 33 which engages the bolt and which rests upon the top of the sleeve. The

sleeve is shown as threaded into lthe cap and the 1 same thread alfords a hold for a closing and Y covering cap 34 which cap acts as a lock nut. .1.5,

The several threads provide a seal whereby leakageis avoided. The cap nut permits removal for adjustment, by a Wrench or other tool engaging -a noncircular end 35 of the bolt, and effective resealing with replacement.

The spring 29 is shown as engaging a head 36 upon the bolt at the upper spring end and eng'agin'gA at the .lowerspring end with a head 31 upon any suitable connection 38 with oat 28.

`.The depending flexiblev connection 20 is fastened to the float in any way as by any hook ,39. The character of the connection of theseterminal parts is ofcourse unimportant.,'

For completeness of illustration the 40 -are shown in dot-and-dash.

That the spring be a `suspension spring is quite desirable forlvarious reasons. It'can be preloaded-'not true of the compression springand its support at the top is readily. accessible for lthe purpose of adjustment to take up for creeping. But very much more important than either of these, it needs no guides and offers no side friction, whereas `a soft spring such as is yneeded for this purpose having any such length as is desirable for the purpose, if in the form'o'f a compressionv spring, will tilt unlessrguided and cannot be compressed to any considerable extent without tending to' bulge atintermediate points and engaging the side walls..y 'I'his of course additionally requires guiding and guiding adds friction. "l

. By preloading'is meant winding the coil in such a way 'that Vadjoining turnspress against each try cocks other when the spring is at rest, so that this Apress'ure'must be overcome before the turns can begin to separate. Y

VThe indicator desirably operates at very small spring stresses. The forces availablefor operation are not large. Consequently any considerable amount of friction quickly becomes prohibitive. o A -f The difference in effective weight of the parts below the spring suspension at highV water level as compared with their weight at low Water level forms the effective difference in weight by which different level indications are given. The same weight hangs from the 'suspension spring all the time, but its pull uponlvthe spring differs by the weight of a corresponding-volume of water displaced orA replaced'rwhen a llarger or a smaller lengthV of' the weight is exposed above'the Water level. I

It is highly desirable to make this difference in weight for the Water level range as large in comparison with the total Weight of the suspended parts as possible. For example, if the solid oat be o f iron it will have perhaps seven times as much weight as that of the water displaced whereas if itobe'made of aluminum alloy encased in a corrosion resistant shell, the weight of the float will be but little 'more than three times the weight of the water displaced. A solid carbon weight has also been used successfully. The lighter the solid float, the less stress there will be in the spring, improving the life of the instrument and the constant accuracy of the readings.

The solid metal float may be made of any metal, preferably light metal, of course, which is not corroded unduly by the water. There are many desirable for the purpose if their lightness of weight be such as that of magnesium and aluminum, but either of these if unalloyed is subject to corrosion by the Water so that it becomes desirable to use an alloy instead. Aluminum alloy has been used successfully. Magnesium alloy if protected from steam and condensate, may be used.

The economical length of the float to keep the stresses as low as possible Will be determined by the range of movement of the target and the ratio between this range and the range of water level fluctuation. For example, with an intended target movement of 12 inches and a range between high and low water indications of 18 inches the length of solid float will .be slightly over 6 inches inA order to provide for 6 inches distance between the submergence at high water and the submergence at low water; whereas with the same target range, if the range of water level fluctuation in the water column be 3 feet, 6 inches, the solid oat length Will be slightly in excess of 2 feet, 6 inches.

The cross section of the spring used may be varied accordingly. A contour of cross section which is responsive to low stresses is that shown in Figure 3 in which the spring is a flat strip redge wound so that the fiat of the strip is pre- Y standardized. In that event with the same material of float where a greater length of float is desired a smaller diameter is used, and vice versa, to` approximate the same weights to be suspended from like springs; and in any given installation changing the float diameter somewhat inversely according to the float length used.

In the form shown in Figure 2 the parts are intended to be the same as the parts shown in Figure l except that a long oat 28 is shown and the indicating target 2|' is not itself a sight indicator but is the actuator for an electromagnetically operated needle 4l, movable over a dial 42. The electromagnetic indicator 43 is operated through coils 44 and 45 and the usual circuit connections 46 and 41 from a source of electrical current. This electromagnetic indication of the position of the target in itself is old in the art. The illustration is primarily for the purpose of showing that the suspension of all of the movable parts from a fixed point with their corresponding centering and the freedom from side contact and bearing friction, as well as the greater accuracy obtainable, in the present invention are of advantage whether'the ultimate indication is to be determined from a sight target or by other means such as the electro-k push-edeasiiy by holding the `Wire which is being wound out of line with the normal position of Vthe wire as it is laid in turns, that is, out of parallelism with a tangent to the turn last previously laid. The wire will in that case be diverted laterally at an angle toward the part of the spring which already hasbeen Wound, and each turn will press against the preceding turn with a pressure which will be determined by the other characteristics of the spring and by the angle at which the spring material is diverted during winding and by the tension. Y

To cause all of the turns of the spring to open up together, the preloading of individual turns of the spring should be different according to the height in the spring at which the turns are `located, the preloading of each turn, considered as an upper turn with respect to the turns below it taking care of the Weight below the spring and ofthe weight of the spring below the turn which is being considered. Progressive change of preloading may be secured in various Ways. For example, the angle at which the Wire is diverted during winding toward the portion of the spring already wound may be altered, the angle with the normal position at which the turn would be laid being made greater progressively for the turns at the upper part of 'the spring than for the turns at the lower part of the spring.

Another method of varying the preloading lies in tapering the spring' which is preloaded from a smaller diameter at the upper end to a larger diameter at the lower end as seen in Figure 4. One advantage of the tapered spring is that it secures universal stresses throughout the spring. Because the leverage is shorter Where the diameter is smaller, the spring will be stiffer at the upper end of smaller diameter thanat the lower end of larger diameter. The way in which the winding is effected gives the preloading and the very slight taper makes the preloading differential.

In whatever Way the preloading is effective it is desirable that the preloading of each lturn shall just have been overcome by the Weight in water of the solid float and of the parts sustained below it with such weight of spring as lies beneath the turn in question when the solid float is almost completelyl immersed in water at the upper level of water level fluctuation.

Excellent results yhave been obtained in practice vvith a spring of Inconel, (13 Cr, 79.5 Ni and 6.5 Fe) of flat section edgevvound, the radial dimension (Width) ofthe strip being .1875 inch and the vertical height (thickness) of the individual strip .056 inch. The outside diameter of the purpose merely of teaching the public one example of spring by which the invention can be carried out. Y

InFigure 5 additional detail is given of a type of sight target and target casing Which have been used successfully in a structure suchl as that of Figure 1.

The body 5l of the casing is slotted through from front to back at 52 and is closed at front and back by glass plates 53 held in position by Y front and rear facing slotted plates 54.

The target is centered within the lower part 55 of the connection I9', ample room being given so that there is no danger of the target or suspension engaging the side walls.

The target projects down into the target casing to much or less extent according to the oat level. The target is colored distinctively from the color of the water, desirably red, and the red is brought out by lights 56 back of the target, the color of the light containing the color (such as red) of the target. The light preferably is diffused by a screen 5l which may also be ay colored screen or two screens may be used also to give a distinctive cast-such as green-to the Water below and permissibly at one or both sides of the target according to the size and position of the target with respect to the slots.

The target is suspended from the top, as at 58.

The structure of Figure 5 differs from that of the other figures in that the chain detail of a flexible connection for the target is given and that the intermediate fluid-tight connections above the target are free from flanges. A drainage outlet is shown at 59.

In operation the solid float is preferably almost completely immersed in the water at the upper water level and is of such length that it will almost completely be out of the water at the lower level. The spring may therefore be standardized to the extent that, with different lengths of solid float the same spring or a few standard springs only will serve for installations having wide differences in water level fluctuation. The length of variation of water level on the float equals the difference between the target movement at the indicator and the range of water level Viiuctuation. This permits ready accommodation of the invention to different water columns corresponding with the different boiler conditions.

The same spring float indicator connections will give slightly different readings with different boiler pressures due to the fact that the density of the water is increased at higher pressure as compared with that at lower pressures; but this is not great because the density of the steam increases also with the pressure. Any deviation due to this cause can be taken care of by the adjustment of the indicating target and/or by calibration.

It will be evident that the low stresses and high flexibility of the spring maybe secured by other spring constructions than that disclosed and that other methods of indication than the sight indicator and the electromagnetic indicator shown may be used if desired.

The so-called solid float is in effect a displacement member which is heavier than water and thus does not actually oat, but is of less effective weight in proportion to the Vwater displacement by it in its different positions. L It acts along with the spring to set a different point of extension of the spring for any height of water level than would be the case if variant parts of the solid oat were not immersed.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore, claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an indicator for water level, a float chamber casing, a longitudinally resilient tension support therein free from mechanical frictional resistance, a solid float suspended from the support substantially submerged at highest Awater level and substantially out of the water at lowest water level, walls forming a target casing, fluidtight connections between the target casing and the oat chamber casing, a target within the target casing suspended from the oat, the float, connections and target being free from lateral engagement with their surrounding walls, whereby the target and its entire suspension are free from all initial starting friction.

2. In an indicator for water level, a oat chamber casing, a longitudinally resilient tension spring support therein free from mechanical frictional resistance, a solid float suspended from the support-substantially submerged at highest water level and substantially out of the Water at lowest water level, walls forming a target casing, uid-tight connections between the target casing and the oat chamber casing, a target within the target casing suspended from the float, the float,

connections and target being free from lateral engagement with their surrounding walls, whereby the target and its entire suspension are free from all initial starting friction.

3. In an indicator for water level, a float chamber casing, a tension spring supported therein preloaded to compensate for lower spring turns and for the weight below it, free from mechanical frictional resistance, a float suspended from the support, walls forming a target casing, fluid-tight connections between the target casing and the oat chamber casing and a target within the target casing suspended from the iioat, the float, connections and target being free from lateral engagement with their surrounding walls, whereby the target and its entire suspension are free from all initial starting friction.

4. In an eye line water level indicator, a water column, a suspension spring therein, a solid float suspended from the lower end of the spring substantially submerged at highest water level and substantially out of the water at lowest water level, a wholly submerged target depending from the lower end of the float and walls surrounding the target and connections and spaced therefrom whereby initial starting friction is eliminated and the parts are subject to the internal friction of the spring and to iluid friction only.

5. In an eye line water level indicator, a water column, a solid oat in said column substantially submerged at highest water level and substantially out of the water at lowest water level, indicator parts depending from the iioai-I and a tension spring having lowest stresses and highest flexibility sustaining the eective weight of the oat, and of the indicator parts and providing for substantial submergence of the oat at highest water level and substantial emergence of the floatfrom the water at lowest water level.

6. In an eye line Water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein, a suspension spring supported at its upper end and sustaining the oat, a target, flexible connections for the target depending from the oat and walls surrounding the flexible connections and target and connected with the column whereby they are maintained at boiler pressure, the suspension spring being preloaded to substantially the weight of the parts supported by it.

7. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed I spring being preliminarily loaded differentially to take care of the weight of the solid float,of the submerged parts suspended below it'- and progressively for the weight of the parts of the spring below the individual turns.

8. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein, a suspension spring supported at its upper end and sustaining the oat, a target, connections therefor depend.V ing from the oat and walls surounding the connections and target and connected with the column whereby they are maintained at boiler pressure, the spring being tapered progressively, of smaller diameter in its upper portion than in its lower portion and preloaded to take care of the weight of the solid oat and of the parts sussure, the spring being preloaded to take care of Y the weight of the solid 4float and parts suspended by it so that the turns of the spring open evenly Vwith downward float movement when the float;

is substantially Vsubmerged at high water level and continue to open with lowering of vthe water level until at the low water level the float is substantially free from immersion in the water.

12. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein substantially submerged at highest water level and substantially out of the water at lowest water level, a suspension spring supported at its upper end,

` connected to the oat and sustaining the float,

` lsion providing the range of float submergence in..

pended below it and the preloading by reason of the diierence in diameter will take care also in each turn of the spring progressively of the parts of the spring below it.

9. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein, a suspension spring supported at its upper end and sustaining the float, a target and connections therefor depending from the float and walls surrounding the connections and target and connected with the column whereby the parts are maintained at boiler pressure, the spring being preloaded progressively so that the initial pressure of the upper turns against the preceding turns is greater than the initial pressure of the lower turns against their preceding turns and the preloading takes care in water of the weight not only of the solid float and parts suspended below it but also in each turn of the weight of the turns of the spring below it.

10. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein, a suspension spring supported at its upper end and sustaining the oat, a target, connections therefor depending from the float andwalls surrounding the connectionsand target; and joined to the column, whereby the parts are maintained wholly submerged and at boiler pressure, the length of the iioat and the support by the spring being such that the iioat will be almost entirely submerged at high water level and that the float will be almost wholly above the waterlevel at low water level.

11. In an eye line water level indicator, a closed water column, a solid float therein, a suspension spring supported at its upper end and sustaining the iioat, a target, connections therefor depending from the float and walls surrounding the connections and target and joined to the column whereby the parts are maintained at boiler presdicated between highest and lowest water levels.

13. In an eye line water level indicator, a water column, a preloaded spring therein, a solid iioat suspended by the spring, of such oat length as to Ybe almost totally submerged in the water at high water level and almost totally emerged from the water at low water level and an indicating target suspended from the. float and subjected to water column water pressure, the preloading providing for clearance of the turns away from one another on downward movement from high water level.

14. In an eye line water level indicator, a

water column, a preloaded spring therein, a solid to be almost totally submerged in the water at high water level and almost totally emerged from the water at low water level and an indicating target suspended from the iioat and subjected to water column water pressure, the preloading compensating for the weight of the oat, the suspension from the. float and approximately .the weight of the spring so that the weight overcomes the preloading substantially at high water level.

16. A liquid level gauge comprising a preloaded spring having the turns of the spring differentially pressing against each lother when Without load, decreasing in pressure 0f one turnagainst the other from the top to the bottomrwhen without load to an extent adapted to take care ofthe ported through the spring and a target suspended from the spring.

DAVID ROBERT YARNALL. 

